Knock-down type dirigible wheel mounting



Feb- 5, 1957 E. o. scHJoLlN KNOCK-DOWN TYPE DIRIGIBLE WHEEL MOUNTING lFiled oct. 19, 1953 Nl. fr

EQSCHJOL/N INVENTOR. C? W70/(2L. BY ,FQ/WM QQ ML.,

ATTORNEYS United States Patent O Y 2,780,417 KNocK-nowN TYPE nnnGIBLEWHEEL MOUNTING t Y Eric O. Schjolin, Pontiac, Mich., assignor to FordMotor Company, Dearborn, Mich., a corporation of Delaware ApplicationOctober 19, 1953, No. 386,893. 2 Claims. (Cl. 280-96.2)

This invention relates generally to motor vehicles and more particularlyto a wheel mounting for a motor vehicle.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved mounting for anindependently suspended road wheel of a motor vehicle. The constructionis particularly adapted for use in connection with lightweight motorvehicles utilizing a spring loaded vertically arranged tubular shockabsorber as part of the load carrying and wheel guiding structure of thewheel suspension, of the type shown in the copending application of E.S. MacPherson, Serial No. 73,044 new Patent 2,660,449. The upper end ofthe load carrying shock absorber is conventionally pivotally connectedto a portion of the vehicle frame, or a portion of the vehicle body inthe case of an integral frame and body construction, and the lower endof the shock absorber is rigidly mounted within a bracket formed with alaterally extending bored hole for the reception of the inner end of astub axle or wheel spindle. The wheel spindle is secured to the mountingbracket by means of a vertically extending pin the lower end of Theoutboard portion of the mounting bracket 13 isV formed with averticallyV extending flange 22 to which is secured a conventional brakebacking plate 23supporting the usual brake mechanism including brakeshoes 24.V YThe wheellspindle 16 is secured to the mounting.

bracket 1,3 by means of a pin 26. The intermediate por,

tion `27 of the pinv26 vistapered and is received within which projectsbeneath the bracket and is formed with v.

an integral ball adapted to be received within a socket provided at theouter end of asuspension arm serving as a portion of a wheel guidingstructure. The wheel mounting construction is thus a compact andeconomically manufactured unit serving to connect the vehicle wheel tothe load carrying shock absorber and also to the wheel guidingsuspension arm.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be made moreapparent as this description proceeds, particularly when considered inconnection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

The single figure is a transverse cross-sectional view through a vehiclewheel and the wheel mounting of the present invention.

Reference is made to the copending application of E. S. MacPherson,Serial No. 73,044 now Patent 2,660,449, for a disclosure of a type ofwheel suspension to which the wheel mounting construction of the.present application may be applied. Referring now to the drawing. 10indicates a vertically positioned tubular shock absorber of thetelescopic load carrying type having its upper end connected to thevehicle (not shown). The lower end 11 of the shock absorber is secured,as by welding, in a vertical bore 12 formed in the mounting bracket 13.The mounting bracket`13 is .also formed with a laterally extendingtubular bore 14 intersecting the generally vertically extending bore 12.

A stub axle or wheel spindle 16 is provided, with its inner cylindricalend projecting into the laterally extending bore 14 formed in thesupporting bracket 13. The

outer end of the wheel spindle 16 is conventional and Y the taperedopening 28 formed in the downwardly depending portion 29 of the mountingbracket 13. The body portion 29. of the vpin 26 extends through alignedopenings 30 and 31 formed inv the mounting bracket 13 and the inner endof the wheel spindle 16, and the eX- treme upper end 32 of the pin 26 isthreaded to receive the nut 33 to clamp the wheel spindle inthe bore 14of the mounting bracket 13.

The pin 26, beneath the intermediate tapered portion 27 thereof, isformed with an integral reversely tapered portion 34 terminating at itslower end in a spherical ball portion 36. The ball 36 is received Withina spherical socket formed by bearing rings 37 and 38 carried within theouter end of a housing 39. The housing 39 is suitably secured as bymeans of a bolt 41 to the outer end of a suspension arm 42 projectinginwardly of the vehicle and connected at its opposite end to the vehicleframe (not shown). Y

From the foregoing it will be seen that an easily assembled andmanufactured wheel mounting means is provided in which a stub axle orwheel spindle is supported upon a mounting bracket with the latter alsoserving as a support for the lower end of a load carrying telescopicshock absorber. Also contributing to a compact economical unit is a dualpurpose pin serving to locate and interconnect the wheel spindle and themounting bracket and also form a pivotal connection for the outer end ofa suspension arm serving to guide the vehicle wheel in vits rising andfalling movements relative to the vehicle frame.

It will be understood that the invention is not to be limited to theexact construction shown and described, but that various changes andmodifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe invention, as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A wheel mounting for supporting a vehicle road wheel upon a loadcarrying telescopic shock absorber and a wheel guiding suspension arm,comprising a mounting bracket having a vertical bore extending partiallytherethrough and opening in an upward direction and a lateral boreextending partially therethrough and opening in an outboard direction,said vertical and lateral bores intersecting each other and saidvertical bore receiving and rigidly supporting the lower end of the loadcarrying shock absorber, a stub wheel spindle having its cylindricalinner end received within the lateral bore of said mounting bracket andprojecting laterally outwardly therefrom for-rotatably supporting thevehicle road wheel, said mounting bracket and the inner end of saidwheel spindle having vertically laligned cylindrical openings formedtherein with the lower portion of the opening in said mounting brackethaving a tapered portion with the larger end at the bottom of thebracket, and an elongated rod extending through the aligned openings andhaving a tapered portion seated in the tapered portion of the openinginY said mounting bracket, said rod having a threaded upper endreceiving a nut to clamp said wheel spindle to said mounting bracket,and said rod also having an integral ball shaped lower end projectingbeneath said mounting bracket for connection to the wheel guidingsuspension arm.

2. A wheel mounting for supporting a vehicle road wheel upon a loadcarrying shock absorber and a wheel guiding suspension arm, comprising amounting bracket Patented Feb. 5, 1957 havingal generally verticallyextendingl bore the lower end of the shock absorber being positioned inthe bore and rigidly secured to the bracket, said mounting brackethaving a-'laterallyfextending bore-therein opvening'outwardly towardtheroad" wheel andl intersected by` saidl generally'rverticallyLextendingbore, awhee1fsp indle having`-a'tubu1ar` inner. end received withinthelaterally' extending-'bore-in said; mounting bracket,xsaidg mountingbracket' and the innerend ofsaid wheel spindle having aligned openingsextending therethrough'in a generally verticallyl direction, anlelongated Apin clampingmember extending through saidialigned` openingsto interconnect said wheel'- spindley andfsaid mounting bracket; lthelower vendof-said clamping' member''projecting completely D ReferencesCited inthe le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS, 2,370,098 Weiss cFeb. 20, 1945 2,660,449 MacPherson Nov. 24, 1953 10 2,713,497Bretschneider Ju1y-19 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 12,256LA `VGreat`Britain May20, 1'911

